Rajnath assures Khattar, Amarinder of all help (Lead)

New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday spoke with the chief ministers of Haryana and Punjab — Manohar Lal Khattar and Amarinder Singh — and assured them of all help, including providing additional forces, in the wake of large-scale violence after the conviction of controversial godman Gurmeet Ram Rahim.

Rajnath told reporters that he cut short his visit to Kyrgyzstan where he had gone to attend a Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting following the violence.

The Minister held meetings with top officials, including Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Jain, and reviewed the situation in Punjab and Haryana.

“I cut short my visit by three hours and spoke to both CMs immediately. They apprised me of the situation. Adequate forces have already been deployed and if needed additional forces will be sent. I have assured them of all help,” Singh told reporters.

He also appealed for calm.

Sources said that after the meeting at North Block with the Home Minister, Mehrishi and Jain went to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and apprised him of the situation.